SE Illinois News

In a recent Facebook post, Illinois state Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) praised the John A. Logan College (JALC) men's basketball team on their championship run.

"Congratulations to the John A. Logan Men’s John A. Logan Men's Basketball Team on winning the 2023 NJCAA Divison I National Championship!" he said in the post.

Windhorst supported the team as they battled their way to the championship on Mar. 25. The game was closely contested throughout, but John A. Logan was able to prevail in the end, winning the NJCAA Division I national championship for the first time in the school's history.

John A. Logan trailed Northwest Florida State by four at halftime, a KFVS report said. But the team was able to hold on after building a 3-point lead with 10 seconds to go in the contest.

The basketball team was greeted by a parade on March 26 in celebration of their championship victory, a WSIL-TV report said.

More than 200 supporters were in attendance to welcome the team back to Carterville, a JALC release said. They received police and fire department escorts on their way to the campus.

John A. Logan head basketball coach Tyler Smithpeters said his team made it a goal to reach the championship, and they honed in on that vision. As he and the players mingled with fans, Smithpeters told local media members that the moment with fans was what the whole season was about.

“These guys believed that they could win a championship, and throughout the season, they never lost that focus,” he said in the release. “No matter what situation they have been in, they have kept their composure and found a way to win. They deserve all the credit and have been a pleasure to coach.”

Windhorst was elected to the Illinois House in 2018, the General Assembly website said. His legislative experience in Springfield includes serving on the Restorative Justice and Judiciary-Criminal committees. He resides in Metropolis.